The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-03-11
The Presidents Record.

Many of our esteemed contsmpOrarir
have been summing up the results OF the
first two years of Mr.. Cieveland's All
miuis.ratiou In t1le main the comment
has been favorable. and even where
there is a de ibeTate purpose to depTeci-
ate, 10 has been manifest the President S
critics have found IL difficult to make a
serious point against him. Tier OhjeC-
tious are captions and trivial. and their
malicious inspiration too palpaDle for
them TO prove ffeCtive.
One has only 10 exercise ordinary
powers of discrimination and judgment
10 Tea lzs he fact that the President has
been OF vast service to the country. .-
Before and Immediately after his cleo
ti0u The Republican press WAS full OF
he Democratic party could not be safely
entrusted with the admiuist ration OF the
government. Its record on che currency
was reviewed and condemned. The
chaifmen Of the CON mmitJees N the
House. having to deal with the great
questions Of finance and the banking
system. were pointed 20 as representa-
tives of the widest and most extTavagant
vsCarips Their utteTances on the floor
and off If gave the cue to their critics,
and excited some distTust even amOI &
their own party associates. If the House,
where the Democrats have a majority, is
to be controlled by such men, argued
our opponents, what must be expected
when the Democratic party secures
the Executive and majority in the
Serate?
Then it WAS aTgued. too. that the
party. having been condemned 20 so long
an absence from power, would make
wild rush for patronage. aud seriously
disturb The proper administration of the
government by filing every Office with
InoompeJsnts and heeleTs. Cleveland, it
was SAID would find it impossible to
Withstand the clamOTs os his greedy fol
lowers, and, like Ac ROn, would be
devOured by his own dogs. The Civil
law would, Of course, become a dead
letter.
But how different has been the result :
Is there any business man to-day who
doubts the capacity of the present ad-
ministTatiOn. not only to enforce the
Civil Sarvi ice law. but to deal with the
larger problems of finance and business
irtellIgent'y and Justly ? Every depart
ment of the public service has Deen
elevated. and a higher standard Of iii
cial coEduct and duty has been firmly
s'ablished.
And to whom is all this due? We
take it that he Presidents worst enemy
will admit that the achievement is more
20 be attributed to his calm dignity. his
frmness, his intelligence and bis courage
than TO any other cause. He has been q
thorough President, impTessing bis par
poses upon all his suboTdInates, and
demanding implicit compliance with the
larger and essential features Of his poll
cv. He has done this, too, in the face
of difficulties which seemed almost in
surmOuntabIP. The government had
long been administered up1n the narrow
est par isan basis. JObbers and cOTTup-
tiOnists had acquired an ascpndency and
a power which seemed to defv purifica-
fi0n and reform. Hoarv abuses had
grown up ana had been fostered under
twenty five years Of mlsTule. There was
doubt among the more conservative ele-
mpnts even of the Democratic party
The new President was an experiment
and he had TO encounter all the djstrust
which so often prevents the success of
experiments. He had to disappOlnt a
large Uumhpr of his own unref7ctIug
followers and TO push steadily on despite
the hostility which such dis8np0Intmeut
invariably eugeudeTs. He had TO sup
press the crauks. combat he extremists
and expose himself to all the opposition.
ard indeed sll the CaIumDv. which
cTanks and extremists. when hafflzd, are
ever ready 70 direct against moderation
and wisdom
But. in spite of all. it must be admit.
ted. Grover Cleveland has done his duty
and has done it well.-N Y. Star.